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Teachings of Zen Master Daikaku #1 | Otter.ai

Teachings of Zen Master Daikaku #1

John Pulleyn43min

Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede

00:01

This is day three of this. July, 2025, seven day seshin.

Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede

00:12

We'll return to our text from yesterday, a book called The original face, an anthology of Rin Zai Zen and we were reading from the teachings of 13th century chan Master daikaku from China. We left off where he was advising us to keep the eyes half open for greater clarity and alertness in the sitting.

Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede

00:59

And then he's kind of switches to a questioner. This is in dialog form. He may he may have composed all the questions himself, but it's someone asking about all of the, what we might call secondary Buddhist practices, besides sitting, chanting prostrations, Sutra recitation and so forth. I think it's important to understand the context of this, this 13th century China, there were, there's a lot more than than chan in Buddhism in China, there were all kinds of other sects. And then that's where this concern is coming up here. This is someone who probably has, or may have this question, or supposed question, or may have been spent years doing these other disciplines. And he says, Though I hear what you say, it's still hard to really believe only by accumulating the virtues of reading and reciting the sutras and spells, whatever that as fasting discipline and reciting the Buddha's name, only those things. Only through those things can we have something to rely on. How can there be anything special about peaceful meditation without doing anything? It's a it's kind of an unfortunate translation, peaceful. How many people here think of of their city as peaceful? Roshi CAVAL used to say it's in Zen, we talk not about the we talk about peace of the sword, not the peace of the grave,

Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede

03:11

peaceful without doing anything, and also certainly misleading. But let's let daiku clear up this. He says, such doubt is called activity, causing birth and death. Such doubt is called affliction, practicing everything without any sense of attainment. Is called the exceedingly profound transcendent wisdom. This wisdom can cut off the source of birth and death like a sharp sword. We hear this, this wording a lot in especially in Chinese Zen, the birth and death, the source of birth and death, it really means the wheel of samsara, the wheel of suffering, or in a word, maybe change

Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede

04:17

to practice virtue In hopes of reward, is the illusion of ordinary people. Bodhisattvas do not seek for the resulting rewards as they cultivate virtue, because they cultivate it for the sake of impartial love and compassion, and thus it becomes sustenance for enlightenment, as for those who seek rewards as they cultivate virtue and attain the lesser reward of humanity or Godhood, this is surely the work of birth and death that leads to suffering. Now let's tackle another reference here, and. And here, in many other Buddhist texts, is that the these the six realms of unenlightened existence, the highest two are said to be the realm of devas and the realm of humans. The lower, the lower ones, starting at the bottom, is the realm of hell, hellish states the realm of hungry ghosts and thirsty spirits. So you could say realm of endless craving, addiction. The third one up is the realm of animals who are bound by their reactivity and always searching for food or territory. The fourth one up is the realm of fighting translations, fighting demons, fighting spirits. Ashuras is the word this I see as those who are caught in a world where they have to be if they're not on top of others, they're underneath. They're not dominating others, they're subservient to others. And then the two highest, again, are considered that of the humans and and those are the devas. Devas just means the Deva realm is a heavenly state. It's a state of luxury or privilege or enjoyment and ease. It's a state of ease which is beyond the human realm, which we have so much suffering to contend with, and yet the human realm, we have this capacity to reflect. We have this mind that can conceive of death, our death and our mortality, and gives us the possibility of doing something about that, of transcending the the the fear of death and being being bound in other ways. So we met, we know there, there are human beings who live in a state of great luxury and and ease. And you could say that psychologically, they're in a deva, a deva realm. But for most, most people, most of the time, if you consider people the world around it's a, it's a it's a struggle being a human being, caught in the in the caught in dilemmas. The human realm is a realm of dilemmas. We can't have it all. How do we get what we need? How do we contend with desire and aversion, likes and dislikes? That's maybe a good way to sum up the human, human realm, likes and dislikes. So he'll refer, again in the forthcoming pages, to humanity, or human, the human realm and the realm of gods or devas.

Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede

08:39

So he refers to the lesser reward of humanity, or Godhood, Deva existence, that means lesser than the reward of Buddhahood, of enlightenment.

Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede

08:59

The human realm is also unique, according to our tradition, in that is only from the human realm with our ability to think and and imagine and foresee the future. It's only from the human realm that we have the capacity to come to enlightenment that places it pretty near the top of the six realms of unenlightened existence. And then the questioner, without accumulating virtue and good qualities, how can one become a Buddha? Buddha, meaning an enlightened one, full well, in the fullest sense, the fully enlightened one. And then daikaku. It takes three incalculable eons to attain Buddhahood by accumulating virtue and good qualities. But if you practice the way of. Unity of cause and effect, you realize Buddhahood in one lifetime, someone who illumines her own mind and awakens to her real nature sees that she herself is originally Buddha, not just now attaining Buddhahood for the first time. So back to this, quite this idea of accumulating virtue and good qualities. This was the predominant understanding in Buddhism of the 13th century, that if we can just do good, refrain from causing harm, then we can work our way up those six realms and have a Pretty decent life. And who's to say that isn't true? Isn't true.

Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede

11:11

I think that too often people in the Zen in our Zen school, laugh at the idea of merit we draw from the encounter that Bodhi Dharma had with the emperor of China, where the emperor said, the emperor who had been a great patron of Buddhism, he said to Bodhi Dharma, what merit have I gained? He wanted to be reassured. He wanted to be patted on the back by the great Bodhidharma. What merit have I acquired through my support of Buddhist monasteries and temples and monks and and to his shock, Bodhi Dharma is said to have replied, no merit at all. Now be careful not to take that literally. My understanding of this business is that we do accumulate merit by holding to the six paramitas. Let's say that's a good way of framing the kind of life that can accumulate merit. I'll get to the six the six paramitas, Six Perfections in a minute. Bodhi Dharma could see that the emperor was attached to the idea of merit, that the emperor was maybe complacent about all, all that he had endowed in the monasteries and so forth, and that he was maybe complacent in his, you know, Deva realm there as the emperor in

Speaker 1

13:00

you

Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede

13:06

Lin learn through the koans that the response of a master like that is not just he's not just explaining something that the difference in what's true, not true, but explaining or replying to the questioner based on that person, on his or her, what his he or she needs to hear.

Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede

13:38

Bodhi Dharma was answering in terms of the essential, the essence has nothing to do with merit. It's beyond the whole idea of cause and effect. This is what the he felt the Emperor needed to hear to bring some balance to his understanding of the Dharma,

Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede

14:09

but introducing this idea of no merit beyond the emptiness aspect was what provoked so many in early Buddhism and in China, because they had come to believe that it's all about doing virtuous acts, being a do gooder and and then someone like Bodhi Dharma, or the other masters complete the picture by talking about the other half. The other side of the coin is beyond cause and effect, right and wrong, good and bad. I.

Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede

15:00

And that's what daikaku Here is also talking about this. This our original, our original Buddha Nature has nothing to do with cause and effect of doing the right things and or even practice

Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede

15:21

all of our neighbors here in Batavia, Stafford, their Buddha nature is no less because they don't practice. This is the the quality aspect of reality. I

Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede

15:53

and then the questioner persists. Do those who realize Buddhahood? Just that just means enlightenment. Those do those who realize Buddhahood by seeing reality not depend on cause and effect. Shouldn't they cultivate virtue? Daikaku, although those who realize Buddhahood by seeing into their true nature may cultivate virtue. They do it for others benefit, not for rewards for themselves. Because they teach and help sentient beings change. They teach cause and effect because they know they have no personal gain. They don't depend on merit. This is the realm of no mind you

Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede

17:06

what is no mind? If there is no mind at all who sees reality, who awakens to the way, and who can teach the way to others? Daikkaku, no mind means that there is no deluded, foolish mind. It does not mean that there is no mind to discern false from true. If one doesn't think of sentient beings, doesn't long for Buddhahood, either doesn't think of illusion or seek enlightenment. Doesn't go along with the honor of others, gets really, doesn't go along with the isn't concerned about the reputation. Does not hope for fame, profit, support or reputation does not shrink from attacks from those who are resentful or hostile, and does not add any discriminating thoughts about any good or evil. One is called a no minded Wayfarer. Let's rewind this now, if one doesn't think of sentient beings. Sentient beings here again, are gloss the glossary section of this teisha. That's just a reference to the unenlightened. So called unenlightened. So if one doesn't think of anyone as being unenlightened, because no one is, by the way, doesn't say crave enlightenment as something one is attached to the thought that doesn't think of illusion or seek enlightenment, doesn't doesn't hope for fame, profit support or reputation, does not shrink from attacks from those who are resentful or hostile, and does not set up discriminating thoughts about judgmental thoughts of Good and Evil. This is, he says, is no mindedness. This is the realm of no mindedness. It's different, by the way, from mindlessness. This, this translator uses them sometimes interchangeably. But I think it's unfortunate I might think of mindless as someone who is just completely unaware, unresponsive, dull. So we can use this, this word, no minded. I. It means acting and speaking, responding without, without a divided mind. That's, that's, I think, a good way to think of it,

Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede

20:19

with one's responding and acting with one's whole being doesn't mean shouting, but it means not divided

Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede

20:33

as a koan, where the there's an old woman who has her tea tea table set up on the way to the holy mountain, Wutai Chan. And the monks would stop there and ask for directions. They say, what is the way to Mount Wutai? And she each for each time she would reply, go straight on. Can you understand that is approach it approach this mountain, this symbol of wisdom, no mindedly with an undivided mind,

Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede

21:13

this response took on new meaning for me when I I went to Wu Tai chan myself on a pilgrimage in China. And it was a long trip, first plane, then train, and then a bus. The last four hours were bus on a country road, and that that that country road leading to Wu Tai Chan was one of countless curves, and here She is on that road saying, Go straight ahead. You

Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede

22:14

a questioner, are there differences of more or less merit in fasting following the precepts, reading and reciting the sutras and chanting the Buddha's name. For those of you who are new to this, that's that's its own sect of Buddhism in both China and Japan, maybe Korea, of reciting the Buddha's name. It's a kind of a it's a formula by which one can reach no mindedness. Na murabusu, na mua, merebutsu, Namo Amida Butsu. I place my faith in the Buddha Amida, that's a practice. It's not a it's not breath practice, it's not koan practice. It's reciting the Buddha's name. So he's asking about these other practices that are not orthodox Chan and daikaku replies, eating once a day only removes greed for food and results in great blessings and virtue in the coming life. Morality and discipline is also to stop bad states of mind and produce a good mental state. Those with good minds live in human and heavenly realms. There it is again the humans and the Devas in the highest estates. Since those who read the sutras protect and maintain the teachings of the enlightened ones, these people will have great knowledge and wisdom in the coming life, extolling their names, that's the reciting of the the Pure Land school extolling their names is taking refuge in the Buddhas. So in the coming life, one will surely be born in a Buddha land, no mind. Don't forget the hyphen there no mind is the buddha mind. The qualities of this enlightened mind cannot be reached by words or thought. It is truly inconceivable. He starts off here, mentioning a couple of the six. Six Perfections or six paramitas. And these are a nifty way of kind of categorizing the kinds of behavior that. That leads to spiritual development and also reflects that spiritual development, it's both. Could say it's both cause and effect. These these six, the the first is giving generosity, and this is often considered the most important of the six. And from a Zen perspective, we could say that in doing, in doing zazen beyond thought, not just sitting and sifting through memories and plans, but really, doing zazen beyond thought is the highest, highest kind of giving, way higher than giving material things, although that is also part of of generosity, this this paramita, this perfection, what is, what is the the principle commodity, if you Will. It's not a commodity. What is the what is the highest kind of giving? It's giving our attention, right? Parents know this, or some parents, it's being there for your for your children or spouses. Know this, giving full attention to your spouse, to your children, to your parents, your siblings, as much as you can. That is, this is the highest form of generosity. I and what is the, what is the ultimate attention? It's doing zazen, bringing our attention to focus in this realm of no mind. So that's the first giving, or generosity, sometimes called charity. And the second is morality. You know, when we're doing zazen, we're, for sure, not behaving in an immoral way. You could say zazen also encompasses morality. The third is kashanti. It's called it's often translated as patience. I think a better translation right now that I would think of as forbearance, as I understand it. Patience is a milder kind of virtue, just being patient, waiting in line in the supermarket, being patient. Good. Good thing to do, be patient. Don't be impatient. What? What does that do for you or anyone being impatient? So that's patience, forbearance, from what my reading shows me, is more patience or endurance in the face of aggression or when someone is doing you wrong.

Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede

29:00

I guess that would work too for a parent, when their child is tantruming, it's forbearance, or when, when someone is driving aggressively in traffic, that's forbearance, just getting beyond it, that kind of patience. Patience, if patience is waiting patiently in line, forbearance is is not reacting when someone cuts in line in front of you, the fourth of the six paramitas perfections is is effort, sometimes translated as zeal.

Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede

29:54

We're not going to change. No one changes without effort. We're. I don't think need to say anything more about that. Everyone here knows what's called for in evolving through Zen practice, it takes effort, effort to stay with the practice, just to put a fine point on it, not straining. It doesn't have to be straining or being tense but mentally to keep making the effort to return to the practice. When there's resistance of thoughts and thoughts that are tugging you away from the practice. It takes effort. The fifth of the Six Perfections is concentration. Okay, I don't think we need to comment on that. And then the sixth is wisdom. You

Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede

31:03

uh, so I would say that that, yes, consciously cultivating these Six Perfections is a wonderful thing. You'd be a better person, better neighbor, better parent, better child, better citizen. By cultivating these do do so. But daikaku is making the point that it's it's this no mindedness, the real essence of Zen goes beyond consciously trying to be a good person. We don't have to settle for just cultivating these things, trying hard to be good.

Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede

31:58

And then, just to finish, repeat the last sentence here that we read no mind is the buddha mind. That is where there is no thought of oneself trying to be good. The qualities of this enlightened mind cannot be reached by words or thought. It is truly inconceivable. We dip into this inconceivable realm when the mind is free of concepts, free of thoughts. Thoughts come. Thoughts are always bubbling up, but not attaching to them. Not deliberately trafficking in thoughts. I'm

Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede

33:02

scared. Skipping a few pages here, which is a little bit heavy with Buddhist doctrine. I don't want to lose more people than I've already lost. The questioner says, in knowing and seeing one's own fundamental inherent nature, he's talking about enlightenment, the knowing and seeing can be known. But what about inherent nature itself? This is daikaku, because all sentient beings remember, that means supposedly unenlightened beings, because all sentient beings have a fundamental nature. It supports their own bodies. This true nature has never been born, never dies, has no form or shape, is permanent and unchanging. This is called fundamental inherent nature. Since this inherent nature is the same as that of all Buddhas, it is called Buddha nature, the three treasures that is Buddha Dharma and Sangha and six kinds of sentient beings we went through those, the six realms of underlying existence. All have this nature as their basis and from which come to be all things.

Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede

34:33

Question, what is turning the light around to shine back? Illumining, outward things. One's own light is turned back to shine on the inner self. Here too is the limitation of words. There's no inner self, as compared to an outer self. There aren't too. Selves, we do distinguish between our essential self, our central nature, and our other, smaller, smaller self, but inner self, it's it fosters this idea that there's our Buddha nature is inside us. Our Buddha nature is not that small. It's not inside us more than outside us. He continues. The mind is bright as the light of Sun and moon, immeasurable and boundless, shining on all inner and outer lands where the light does not reach is dark. This is called the ghost den on the Black Mountain, the abode of all ghosts which can hurt people. The mind phenomenon is also like this. The light of knowledge of the mind essence is infinite and boundless and illumines all things where the light does not reach is called the Shadow World of ignorance, the Skandhas in the four elements, the abode of all afflictions which can harm people. The knowing mind is the light. Errant thoughts are shadows. The light, illumining things is called shining. And when the mind and thoughts do not range over things but are turned toward the original nature. Mu, what am I? What is this breath when the mind and thoughts do not range over things but are turned toward the original nature? This is called turning the light around to shine back. It is also called panoramic illumination, illuminating the whole of the immediate substance. It is where neither delusion nor enlightenment have ever appeared. It is that division that we use provisionally between delusion and enlightenment. It's beyond that, beyond all such divisions. Nowadays, people think of basic mind by means of errant thoughts, and consider afflictions enjoyable. When will they ever escape birth and death?

Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede

37:53

It's may take a little little stretch of the mind to understand who would want to consider who would see afflictions as enjoyable. But really, it's all around us. You see it sometimes even humorously in advertising, where they they play up the whole idea of wanting more craving. Someone told me recently, there's a there's something or other called crave. They're trying to sell. I don't know if it's a perfume or something else, but doesn't matter. It's, it's the world of commerce and marketing we can have this perverse need to crave, that's it's a one, one affliction, a perverse need To be frightened, perverse need to get worked up and furious about others and their opinions.

Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede

39:13

These things for for people whose lives are dull or who need to feel need to feel strong and alive. These these passions, these blind passions, can, in a perverse way, be enjoyable.

Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede

39:35

Question, the essence of sitting meditation is the non production of a single thought. Trying to stop thought by thought is like washing blood with blood. What should we do? So the questioner here is putting his finger on very, very basic. A mistake in meditation is trying to stop our thoughts. You all know this, right? You all know that that is a mistake. We're not in Zen practice. We're not trying to stop our thoughts. They don't need to be stopped. They will evaporate on their own through single minded absorption in the practice. Don't make war on your thoughts. Don't despise your thoughts. They're just little soap bubbles coming up into the mind. Don't make too much of them. You don't fight them. They're just shadows. Don't Don't go shadow boxing on the mat.

Roshi Bodhin Kjolhede

41:00

But now daikaku reply, the non production of a single thought is what is known as the original essence of the mind. It is not stopping thought. Yet it is also not not stopping thought. It is just the non production of a single thought, or it's not generating thoughts unnecessarily, not weaving together thoughts on the mat, if you merge with this original essence, this is called the realization of thusness, of the reality of things, okay, thus even sitting meditation is no use here. There is no illusion, no enlightenment. So how could there be thoughts here? He's again reminding us of the of the essential truth. The essential truth is, is that there is nothing all of this world of thingness, the phenomena around us, the physical things, people, ourselves, our own bodies, our thoughts, our dreams, all of it is in essence. In essence, nothing, void. This is what awakening reveals, confirms the thoughts have no substance to them. Nothing has any enduring substance to it. We are deceived by our senses. My sense of touch, tells me that this has substance to it, and in a way, it does, but not essentially it doesn't. In essence, it's just flux. It's change. We Are Change. Our bodies are and ceaselessly changing. Our minds are ceaselessly changing. If you do not know this original essence, you can't help but produce thoughts, even if you suppress them so they don't arise. This is all still ignorance. It is like a rock lying on the grass. Before long, the grass will grow again. You should work on meditation most meticulously and carefully. Don't take it easy, and our time is up, we'll stop and recite the four of us. You.

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